Be Here Now
Creation/Sony
It's fitting that Oasis is signed to a subsidiary of Epic Records. Be Here Now, the highly-anticipated and much-hyped follow-up to last year's (What's the Story) Morning Glory? builds on the Great Big Rock & Roll sound of our lads rode to American fame, leaving their 'rivals' Blur far behind. Sole songwriter Noel Gallagher may very well be rewriting The Beatles' back catalogue, but he does it in such a loving, respectful and cheeky way- I lost track of the number of Fab Four lyrical references- that no one can complain. Love him or hate him, singer Liam wraps his voice around his brother's songs with conviction and refuses to let go, especially on strong tracks like the first single, 'D'you know what I mean?'; Noel's best vocal is on the mid-tempo ballad 'Magic Pie'. (Paul McCartney's new album is called Flaming Pie; a coincidence?) The songs on Be Here Now will ring out majestically in stadiums around the world; Noel Gallagher has seen to that. He may be the greatest plunderer rock & roll has ever seen, but he does know how to write a good song.
Sean Plummer
